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Difference between privacy and confidentiality

Each person wants a personal space in his life, because it is not possible to share everything with others. In fact, nobody wants to talk about what's going on in their personal lives. Hence, a certain degree of privacy is needed by each person. Privacy a state when a person free from public interference while if we talk about Confidentiality, talks about a situation where important information is kept secret between two individuals until the person to whom the information belongs reveals it.

In short, privacy when someone remains undisturbed by people, but privacy when something is kept secret. Correctly distinguish the terms given rather strenuous, since the meaning of the two is too similar. Here in this article, we have collected the most important differences between privacy and confidentiality, take a look at this.

Comparative chart

Basis for comparison private life confidentiality
Sense The state of being secluded known as Privacy. Confidentiality refers to the situation in which it is expected of someone who does not disclose information to anyone else.
What is it? the right to be left alone. It is an agreement between people in a trust position to maintain the confidentiality of sensitive information and documents.
Concept Restrict public access. It prevents information and documents from unauthorized access.
It applies to Individual Information
Obligatory No, an individual's personal choice Yes, when professional and legal information.
Not allowed Everyone is not allowed to involve an individual's personal affairs. Only unauthorized persons are not authorized to use the information.

Definition of privacy

Privacy is the state in which an individual is free from public disruption and intrusion. The word privacy derives from the word "private", which means that the role of the limited public, therefore the term privacy refers to a condition in which a person is separated from public attention and observation. the right of every individual to be left alone in his personal affairs because everyone has his own personal life. You can draw a limit to the access of your information from the use of others.

In addition, a human tendency to hide some facts about himself, otherwise people will use them against him.

Privacy is a matter of choosing an individual if he does not want to reveal his matter in front of people. For example, quite logical that if a person wants to take a bath or change his clothes or wants to have a personal conversation with someone he will seek some privacy because he does not want anyone to interfere in his private moments.

A good example of Internet privacy here; you can set privacy on your social network account to limit access to your personal things such as who can see your content, profile photos, photos etc.

Definition of confidentiality

Confidentiality refers to a state when expected or expected by someone to keep the information secret. The term confidentiality derives from the word "security" which means "trust". In this way, confidentiality when entrusted that information that is given in confidence to someone will be kept secret from the reach of unauthorized persons until the parties agree to find out the information.

In the medical, legal and other professions, it is normal for information shared between client and lawyer or doctor and patient not to be disclosed to third parties. In the army, this term is used dozens of times that only authorized officials are authorized to access confidential information. It prevents access of sensitive information from being public.

Here is an example to make you easily understand confidentiality such as your bank details such as an ATM account number or pin or user ID and password of any social network site or email account.

Key differences between privacy and confidentiality

The main differences between privacy and confidentiality are listed below:

  1. Privacy is a situation in which a person is free from public interference. Confidentiality is a situation where information is kept secret from the reach of any other person.
  2. Privacy is about a person, but confidentiality is about information.
  3. Privacy restricts the public to access a person's personal details, while confidentiality protects information from the range of unauthorized persons.
  4. In privacy, everyone is prevented from interfering in a person's personal matters. On the contrary, in confidentiality, some specified and reliable people can access the information.
  5. Privacy on a voluntary basis; choosing a person. Unlike Confidentiality, mandatory if the relationship between the parties is a trustee.
  6. Privacy is a right. However, confidentiality is an agreement.


Privacy and Confidentiality are the two terms that are commonly juxtaposed with each other. Personal or private privacy, i.e. the range will be limited to yourself only if we talk about confidentiality, professional. The range will be limited to people, whom the individual trusts. There are only a few differences between the two terms, but Confidentiality is an advanced version of Privacy.